Methods of printing textile fabrics



United States Patent METHODS PRINTING TEXTILE FABRICS Lucio Cicogna, Milan, Italy, assiguor to Star Stampa Tessuti Artistici S.p.A., Milan, Italy N Drawing. Application December 3, 1956 Serial No. 625,634

This invention relates to improvements in methods of printing textile fabrics.

A method of printing textile fabrics, more particularly transferring colored patterns on to fabrics is known, by which a multi-colored pattern is first printed on an inextensible support, then transferred onto the fabric by superposing said support on the fabric and subjecting both to the action of pressure, heat and solvents, the inextensible support being preferably paper the surface of which adapted to receive the colored pattern is treated so as to cause the dyestuffs by which the pattern is formed to temporarily adhere to the support, whereby they are readily transferred on to the fabric.

U.S. Patent No. 2,583,286 (Albini-Colombo) describes in detail a method of the kind referred to above and indicates the nature of the substances to be used for treating the surface of the inextensible support and substances to be admixed to the dyestuffs to make possible the transfer of multi-colored patterns from the inextensible support to the fabric.

However, practical results attained in carrying out the method according to said patent proved fully runsatisfactory in a number of cases, more particularly when the patterns are printed on the paper by means of machines for calcographic printing generally, especially continuously operating rotative machines for calcographic printing. In fact, U.S. Patent No..2,583,286 proposes using mixtures which, if prepared in accordance with the percentages of ingredients indicates, make the method disclosed by said patent fully unpracticable.

It is purpose of this invention to provide a method of printing textile fabrics by transferring colored patterns from an inextensible support such as paper, on to fabrics through the action of heat and pressure which makes it possible to print the colored pattern on said inextensible support through the use of machines, for calcographic printing, especially continuously operating rotative machines for calcographic printing.

,A further purpose of this invention is to facilitate in a method of the kind referred to above removal of the dyestuff from the inextensible support, transfer thereof onto the fabric and firm anchoring to the latter without spreading beyond the regions to be dyed or staining the fabrics by the action of substances admixed to the dyestuffs in order to adapt them for printing on paper and transferring the colored patterns from the latter on to the fabric. V

A further purpose of this invention is to print on textile fabrics colored patterns which are durable and maintain gloss and intensity of colors even after usual washing and steaming treatment to which fabrics are normally subjected for finishing.

A further purpose of this invention is to provide a method of printing colored patterns of fabrics which is easy and inexpensive to carry out, whereby overall cost ofvmanufacture of printed fabrics is reduced.

' The above and further purposes and advantages of the ice Patented Nov. 3', 1959 invention will be clear-1y understood from the appended specification including preferred examples of substances to be used for carrying out my improved method and further useful measures for full success thereof.

As mentioned above, my improved process has been developed with a view to utilising for temporary applying the colored pattern to the inextensible support, such as paper machines for calcographic printing, more particularly rotative machines for calcographic printing.

' With this object in view as well as in order to afiford a satisfactory transfer of the colors from the inextensible support on to the fabrics the method comprises the following steps: 7

1) Coating the surface of the inextensible support adapt to temporarily receive the colored pattern by substances adapted to'improve transfer of the dyestuffs on said support on to the fabric in the next step.

Example: Monoglossy paperhaving a Weight of 60-70 grams per square meter is first coated with a layer weighing about 4 grams per square meter'of dry extract, obtained from a mixture prepared as follows:

I dissolve in the cold, then heat in a Water-bath to a temperature of about 40-50" C. the following roportions of:

Percent by weight Supersulphonated emulsifying oil containing sodium sulphoricinate Sodium palmitate 30 Butyl Cellosolve 38 Distilled water. 18

The paper is dried then covered by a second coating comprising a layer weight about 0.5 gram per square meter of dry extract, obtained from a mixture prepared in the above described manner and comprising:

7 Percent by weight Supersulphonated emulsifying oil containing sodium sulphoricinate 4 Zinc stearate 0.5 Xylene e Resin from condensation of phenol-formaldehyde with admixture of c'olophom'um and rosin esters 0.5

This second coating is then dried. (2) Printing the colored pattern on paper. This step is carried out by firstly preparing a fluid mixture by mixing together in the manner described above the following substances in the proportions indicated:

Parts by weight Resin from condensation of phenol-formaldehyde with admixture of colophonium and rosin esters 3-3.5 Supersulphonated emulsifying oil containing sodium sulphoricinate l Xylene 6-11 pattern should be transferred from the paper, as-well upon I the desired fastness of color to external agents.

Generally, I can recommend selecting the following dyestuffs depending upon the-kind of fabrics:

Cotton-vat dyes, direct dyes;

Wool, silk, nylonacid dyestuffs;

Acetate, Terylenee acetate dispersed dyestuffs.

Printing of colored patterns on the paper surface coated as described above is efiected by means of machines for calcographic printing, preferably by a continuous process using rotative machines for calcographic printing. In the latter case the inextensible support is in the form of a long paper, web unwinding from a spool and travelling through the cylinders of the machine.

The cylinders of the printing machine are engraved to a depth such as to leave on paper about 4 grams per square meter surface.

The dyestuff supplied .by each cylinder is dried between the successive cylinders of the machine by an air jet blown in order to evaporate the solvent in the printing ink. The latter should be fluid enough to readily wet the cylinders and quickly dry as the paper travels from one cylinder to the next one.

(3) Transfer of the printed colored pattern by accurately superposing on the fabric the colors being accurately in register with their respective paper zones.

This step is carried out by causing the fabric and paper web to travel in superposed relationship between two suitably heated pressure cylinders.

The equipment for carrying out this step can be of the type disclosed by US. Patent No. 2,583,286.

The temperature and pressure adopted during this step of transferring the colored pattern onto the fabrics amounts to 150 C. and 100-150 kg./square centimeter, respectively. However, these values may undergo certain variations according to the type of fabric onto which the colored pattern is transferred.

At the raised temperature the resinous substances in the second paper coating layer melt and act to bind the dyestuif to the paper. The raised temperature moreover promotes penetration of the colored mass into the fabric and is largely snfficient for dissolving the paper coating, more particularly the first layer, the melting point of which is considerably lower, whereby removal of the dyestufis from the paper during the transfer step is facilitated.

The high pressure satisfactorily smooths the fabric surface and causes a thorough contact between the juxtaposed surfaces of the paper and fabric.

The fabric is of course impregnated before transferring the colored pattern thereto by substances adapted to promote development and setting of the dyes. These substances are conveniently selected in accordance with the properties of the treated fabric and dyestuffs employed. Selections of the substances is obvious to experts in the art and is no part of this invention.

Examples of impregnating baths are as follows:

Direct dyes:

7 presence of the added resin.

formaldehyde resins are soluble in benzol, solvent Cotton Percent Lyoprint DA Ciba 1 Urea 18 Britishgum thickener 1:1 5 Water 76 Silk Urea 20 Britishgum thickener 13 Ammonium tartrate 3 Water; 63 Wool-- B Solvent salt 4 Ammonium oxalate 5 Gum arabic thickener 1:1 5

Water 86 Nylon or acetate G Lyoprint 4 Ammonium oxalate 5 Gum arabic thickener 5 Water 86 Cotton fabrics printed by vat dyestuifs are impregnated by a bath of the following composition:

Percent Rongalite 15 34 B. caustic soda 1O Ur a 10 B solvent salt 2. 5 'Glycen'ne 2. 5 Sodium sulphoricinate 2. 5 Britishgum thickener 1:1 10 Water 47. 5

The terms Lyoprint DA Ciba, B Solvent salt, G Lyoprint and Rongalite are trade names of products available on the Italian market;

According to their properties the fabrics are treated after transfer of the pattern by steaming to set the dyestuffs, washing to remove thickeners or otherwise treated as required. Such treatments are known and currently carried out in the art of dyeing fabrics.

Certain substances mentioned above as ingredients of the mixtures for coating paper and additions to the dyestuffs are available on the markets by the following trade names:

Supersulphonated emulsifying oil containing sodium sulphoricinateMonopol soap.

Sodium palmitateMarsei1les soap.

Resin obtained by condensation of phenolformaldehyde admixed with colophonium and with rosin esters- Albertol, more particularly Albertol Q 116 (melting point C.).

This product is identified in the textbook entitled Synthetic Resins and their Plastics, by Carlton Ellis, published in 1923, pages 147 and 148. Thus, as described in this book, oil-soluble resins known as Albertol or Albertole resins are produced by heating phenolformaldehyde resins with a natural resin such as rosin or with rosin esters. The condensation reaction forming the phenol-formaldehyde resin may take place in the These oil-soluble phenolnaphtha, acetone, carbon tetrachloride and various petroleum distillates.

These products were found particularly useful in carrying out my improved method.

In fact, since the non-stretchable carrier should receive the colored pattern only temporarily, then yield it under the combined action of heat and pressure without any spreading of the various colors and inherent alteration of the pattern, the substances with which the carrier is coated should melt at a temperature below the melting point of the substance incorporating the dye.

Albertol is a product which fully meets this requirement. Its melting point (105 C.) is higher than the melting point of the compositions with which the non stretchable carrier is coated. I

By acting on the carrier which has already been provided with the coating and printed with the colored pattern. by the action of heat, the back-ground to which the color is anchored is fused, but the resin with which the color or dye is mixed does not fuse so promptly, this explaining why the dye does not spread.

Since Albertol is easily solublein solvents, the resin can be easily eliminated from the, fabric, avoiding brown spots forming on the latteron a clear background. Monopol soap has the property of lowering the melting temperature of the coating applied to the non-deformable carrier and makes possible adhesion of the dye to the non-deformable carrier, which would be impossible when using a soap containing coating and when the dye is dispersed in a resin dissolved in a solvent. Monopol soap moreover facilitates dispersion of the practically water insoluble Albertol contained in the composition which according to this application is admitted to the dye, in water, during washing.

Finally, Marseilles soap is suitable for increasing solubility in water of Monopol soap. Any coating that adhered to the fabric during printing can therefore be removed during washing of the fabric.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my co pending application Serial No. 412,884, filed Feb. 26, 1954, and now abandoned.

What I claim is:

1. In a method of printing fabrics by transferring a colored pattern from a non-deformable carrier onto fabric, the steps of applying a first layer of a mixture comprising supersulphonated emulsifying oil, sodium sulphoricinate, sodium palmitate, butyl Cellosolve and distilled water, coating said first layer with a second layer of a mixture comprising supersulphonated emulsifying oil containing sodium sulphoricinate, zinc stearate, xylene and a resin obtained from the condensation of phenolformaldehyde with admixture of colophonium and rosin esters, color-printing the pattern on the treated side of said non-deformable carrier, said design consisting of a dye admixed with a binder washable during the final treatment of the fabric, treating the fabric with substances adapted to set the dyes, transferring the pattern on to the fabric, setting of the dyes by steaming the fabric and washing off the binder.

2. In a process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first layer consists of:

Percent by weight Supersulphonated emulsifying oil containing sodium sulphoricinate 14 Sodium palmitate 30 Butyl Cellosolve 38 Distilled water 18 3. In a method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second layer consists of:

Percent by weight Supersulphonated emulsifying oil containing sodium sulphoricinate 4 Zinc stearate v 0.5 Xylene 95 Resin from the condensation of phenol-formaldehyde with admixture of colophonium and rosin esters" 0.5

4. In a method as claimed in claim 1, the step of admixing the dye with the following composition:

Parts by weight Resin from the condensation of phenol-formaldehyde with admixture of colophonium and rosin 

1. IN A METHOD OF PRINTING FABRICS BY TRANSFERRING A COLORED PATTERN FROM A NON-DEFORMABLE CARRIER ONTO FABRIC, THE STEPS OF APPLYING A FIRST LAYER OF A MIXTURE COMPRISING SUPERSULPHONATED EMULSIFYING OIL, SODIUM SULPHORICINATE, SODIUM PALMITATE, BUTYL CELLOSOLVE AND DISTILLED WATER, COATING SAID FIRST LAYER WITH A SECOND LAYER OF A MIXTURE COMPRISING SUPERSULPHONATE EMULSIFYING OIL CONTAINING SODIUM SULPHORICINATE, ZINC STEARTE, XYLENE AND A RESIN OBTAINED FROM THE CONDENSATION OF PHENOLFORMALDEHYDE WITH ADMIXTURE OF COLOPHONIUM AND ROSIN ESTERS, COLOR-PRINTING THE PATTERN ON THE TREATED SIDE OF SAID NON-DEFORMABLE CARRIER, SAID DESIGN CONSISTING OF A DYE ADMIXED WITH A BINDER WASHABLE DURING THE FINAL TREATMENT OF THE FABRIC, TREATING THE FABRIC WITH SUBSTANCES ADAPTED TO SET THE DYES, TRANSFERRING THE PATTERN ON TO THE FABRIC, SETTING OF THE DYES BY STEAMING THE FABRIC AND WASHING OFF THE BINDER. 